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OUR VISION

Kids In Nutrition (KIN) is a student-led movement committed to enhancing food equity and improving health for at-risk youth through food literacy and access. KIN's strength lies in its cost-effective, replicable, and sustainable student-led model. Our community-based solution approach mobilizes and trains university student volunteers to inspire lasting healthy and sustainable dietary habits in youth using a three-pillar intervention: education, food access, and family engagement.

By embedding local community-driven food literacy and access frameworks across the United States, KIN is filling the critical gap in school nutrition education and prioritizing prevention over intervention to drive direct, meaningful, and lasting change for youth and their families.

These pillars work in unison to equip children with the knowledge and resources needed to make informed dietary choices and champion their health as they grow.

PREVENTATIVE DIETARY LIFESTYLE CHANGE

EDUCATION

FOOD
ACCESS

FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT

EDUCATION

KIN’s elementary nutrition curriculum (ages 5-9) provides a foundation for food literacy and lifelong healthy eating habits. Teams of five university student KINstructors visit local elementary classrooms to teach once a week for seven weeks. KIN’s peer-to-peer lessons are evidence-based and culturally relevant, incorporating kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning strategies through interactive visuals, hands-on games, physical activities, and group work. Each KIN student receives a personalized Nutrition Workbook, offering space for self-reflection and exploration of their food preferences and habits. After completing the program, teachers receive a KIN Classroom Kit, which includes nutrition posters and ongoing activities to keep nutrition education visible and engaging year-round. Additionally, KIN’s nine-lesson Cool Beans Around the World curriculum offers teachers an opportunity to extend KIN programming– taking children on a culinary journey to explore legumes celebrated in diverse cultures worldwide.

FOOD ACCESS

At the end of the program, students receive ingredients to prepare a healthy meal with their families. Recipes are thoughtfully designed to reflect cultural contexts and are adaptable to individual preferences and food allergies. Additionally, KIN provides bilingual (English and Spanish) recipe cards to encourage families to explore additional easy, budget-friendly meals at home. To further support food access, KIN offers community-curated guides on affordable local food options, public assistance programs, and healthy meal planning on a budget.

FAMILY
ENGAGEMENT

KIN fosters family participation through the KINcentive Program, which provides kids with weekly challenges, newsletters, worksheets, and digital resources to encourage at-home engagement. Through community partnerships, KIN also offers family workshops covering key nutrition lesson objectives, youth dietary behaviors, available community resources, food sensory awareness, and practical meal preparation. Additionally, KIN hosts interactive tabling tents at the Davis Farmers’ Market, featuring nutrition trivia, scavenger hunts, recipes, and prizes—creating a shared space where families and children can engage in nutrition education beyond the classroom. Check out our Family Resources!

Organic Carrots

Annual Impact Reports

Starting in 2021, Kids In Nutrition will be providing downloadable annual impact reports available to the public.

Joy of Harvest

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